Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-01-22


To the Editor Of The EVENING STAR.
Several petitions from sO-called temperance meL
and women have recently been introduced in Con
gresS in which the grossest falsehoods and the
most unwarranted examinations against the fab
name and reputation Of our District and laid be-
fore our law gtvers and, almost uncOntrad1cted
accepted by them as facts upon which to base
legislation for our diSfranchised people.
A week ago the most horrid stories were told as
to the Generalization OF our minors. No proofs
were furnished beyond the statement that there
were 700 licensed barrooms and that during the
year 1875 persons between 10 and 20 years OF age
were arrested. The inference was that all those
minors" were arrested through the bad influence
to minors were introduced in both houses, though
you stated the same day In your police reports
that Judge Smell had fned a grocery-keeper SIC
because he had sold pint OF liquor to a negro
boy II years old, who had been sent by black
smith to get that liquor, but had been refused
liquor for himself. That Judge Smell fined that
storekeeper nevertheless, $40, proves that there
mustsbe suficient legislation already on this sub
Ject.
Yesterday you published a long petition from the
WOmens Christian Temperance union full OF all
kind OF charges against our District, and which
petition Senator Colquitt declared to be an ''im-
parchment OF public morals at the national CAPT.
tai which showed this city to be little better In
the scale OF morality than the most depraved."
The charges in the petition accuse the Commits.
sioners with having unlawfully licensed five res
taurants on B street southwest; with having given
licenses to bad houses; with allowing parties to
licenses granted within 400 feet OF school house,
that one of the commissioners owns house used
by the louisiana Lottery, and that some places
are kept open on Sunday and after hours. The
whole seems to be an arraignment of the Commits.
sOners but no proof Is given that the law is insult
ficient and that Congress must pass new laws. Nc
proof is furnished that restaurants beyond the
few places mentioned, are not kept in lawful and
good style. And yet those hOme-sick women, who
the city, boldly SANDER the whole community as
being little better than SOdOm and Gomorrha,
and democratic Senator from the free south Joins
in the chorus, maintaining that upon the above
Showing the scale OF morality is little better than
the most depraved
It is time that our citizens should rise against
city. l maintain that Washington compares
favOrabiy with any city in the Union and that
our public restaurants are kept more quietly and
its size. am willing to prove that before any OF
the committees Of Congress, and / am sure that
the old police oftcers who ,a know the truth and
so by the committees.
Police Captain Austin I'm an interview with
your reporter), speaking OF the figures given in
the petition Of the Guardian League, said: ssThat
it was not fair to conclude from statistics OF
police arrests that there was more vice or more
Criminals in this than In other cities. To his
mind It Indicated merely greater efficiency on
the part OF the police here. Many arrests were
made here for onenses Of which little account was
cuted vigorously here-hquOr laws and license
laWS-which were treated with great laxity In
| ctieS where There WcT0 0l6CUlVe forms or govern
ment." As for vice and crime, the captain said no
one here knew what comparative immunity from
such evils they enjoyed until they went to other
cities and investigated matters there.
The captain Is right! OF the q, 1888 arrests made
last wear no less than g. 446 were dismissed with
out trial (and that shows that they ought not To
have been made); 1880 were nOle pros; l 1874
were discharged on their personal bonds and 2O6
had to give bonds to keep the peace; 1888 were
sent to several District ref0rmatOries and out OF
the city, and ,40s were fined About one IN every
and sintoxicatton and disorderly." Nearly three
fOurths OF all the arrests were cOlored OF the 81
commitments to the penttenttary 63 were colored
and % white.
washington has not merely an immense negro
population OF its own, but many OF the Virgins
and Maryland negroes spend portion OF the yeal
In this city. Besides as the capital OF the nation
washington Is more or less filled with strangers
Nevertheless maintain that there is no city OF its
size In the world which viii beat washington In
regard to morala Ii there ara some bad places 4
cheney OF the Law. Respectfully,
LOUIS SCHADR.